Carlisle: British Rally stars gather at Chatsworth

British and World Rally Champions Stig Blomqvist and Ari Vatanen will
join other BRC stars and Champions to celebrate the British Rally
Championship's 50th anniversary at the Rally Show, Chatsworth in early
June.
Marcus Gronholm, who will...

British and World Rally Champions Stig Blomqvist and Ari Vatanen will
join other BRC stars and Champions to celebrate the British Rally
Championship's 50th anniversary at the Rally Show, Chatsworth in early
June.

Marcus Gronholm, who will also be present, may never have won the British
series, but it is testament to its success that five other World Rally
Champions first took victory on Britain's premier domestic Championship.

The theme for the weekend of 7th & 8th of June is the celebration of the
fiftieth anniversary of the BRC and 2008's Tesco 99 Octane MSA British
Rally Championship contenders will also be there in force to contest four
rallies on the Chatsworth stages.

The Rally Show at Chatsworth's History of Rallying demonstration
features examples, some of them the actual cars, of the rally cars that
won the BRC during its fifty-year history. These range from an ex-works
Triumph TR3a and John Sprinzel's original Austin Healey Sprite, through
VW's (including one of Bill Bengry's original Beetles), Lotus Cortina,
Mini Cooper, Triumph 2000, Hillman Imp, Escort Twin Cam and RS1800,
Vauxhall Chevette, Opels, Audis, Hyundai WRC and the current Mitsubishi
Evo.

The celebration of the BRC's birthday also means that many of the
winning drivers and co-drivers from down the years will also be at
Chatsworth on that June weekend. Among the drivers are names like Eric
Jackson, Roy Fidler, John Bloxham, Will Sparrow, Chris Sclater, Billy
Coleman, Russell Brookes, Pentti Airikkala, Jimmy McRae, David Llewellin,
Gwyndaf Evans, Mark Higgins, Martin Rowe, Marko Ipatti, Jonny Milner,
David Higgins and of course the reigning champion Guy Wilks.

One name missing from that list, but who will be there, is Malcolm
Wilson, who is not only attending the Show but bringing a Focus WRC from
M-Sport for Marcus Gronholm to drive. Among the co-drivers hoping to
attend are Brian Melia, Alan Taylor, Don Barrow, John Brown, Ian
Grindrod, Mike Nicholson, Mike Broad, Phil Short, Robert Reid, and Phil
Mills.

Champion co-drivers Stuart Turner and David Richards, who both went on to
be highly successful rally team managers, will also be at Chatsworth.
Indeed they will able to celebrate more than just their success in the
BRC since Chatsworth is paying homage during the weekend to the fortieth
anniversary of the Ford Escort's debut in rallying back on the San Remo
Rally in 1968.

Turner was the man behind the phenomenal success of the BMC Mini Coopers
in the 1960s and was then at the helm of Ford Competitions during the
even more amazing achievements of the Escort including its East African
Safari victory in 1972 and complete dominance of the British rally scene.
The actual car that won the Safari will be at Chatsworth.

For Richards too, the Escort was an iconic car as, sitting alongside
Vatanen, he won first the BRC and then the World Championship titles
before going on to mastermind Subaru's three WRC Manufacturer titles in
the mid-1990s as well as Colin McRae's and Richard Burn's drivers
titles in 1995 and 2001 respectively.

There is still some room in all nine rally events -- they range from
Historic through Post-Historic to modern-day World Rally cars and of
course the classes comprising the Tesco 99 Octane MSA British Rally
Championship -- for competitors to get entries in the next three weeks
and benefit from the cheap additional ticket deal for competitors. After
that, it will be difficult and certainly more expensive.

The same applies to drivers who want to enter their rally-type cars in
the popular stage sessions. Entry forms, regulations and applications for
additional tickets can all be found on the Show web site.

The attractions out on the two tarmac stages -- different for Saturday
and Sunday -- include no fewer than nine competitive rallies, the History
of Rallying demonstrations, displays by stunt innovator Terry Grant,
exhibitions by various exotic rally machinery and several stage sessions
open to privately owned cars. The quantity and quality of the cars in
action as well as all the trade and club stands plus the fact that the
June date provides longer daylight hours, means that the Rally Show at
Chatsworth 2008 will be superb value for the enthusiastic rally fan and
his family. Indeed, the Saturday has been designated a Family Day with
accompanied children admitted free of charge and with additional
attractions for the young.

The whole weekend should be equally attractive to enthusiasts and to
those who are coming to the sport for the first time. Tickets, including
those for the BRC party on Saturday night, can be bought now by booking
via the show website at www.therallyshow.org